A pseudounipolar neuron is a type of
neuron
A neuron, neurone, or nerve cell is an electrically excitable cell that communicates with other cells via specialized connections called synapses. The neuron is the main component of nervous tissue in all animals except sponges and placozoa. ...
which has one extension from its cell body. This type of neuron contains an
axon
An axon (from Greek ἄξων ''áxōn'', axis), or nerve fiber (or nerve fibre: see spelling differences), is a long, slender projection of a nerve cell, or neuron, in vertebrates, that typically conducts electrical impulses known as action p ...
that has split into two branches. A single process arises from the
cell body and then divides into an axon and a dendrite. They develop
embryologically as
bipolar in shape, and are thus termed pseudounipolar instead of
unipolar.
Structure
A pseudounipolar neuron has one axon that projects from the
cell body for relatively a very short distance, before splitting into two branches. Pseudounipolar neurons are
sensory neuron
Sensory neurons, also known as afferent neurons, are neurons in the nervous system, that convert a specific type of stimulus, via their receptors, into action potentials or graded potentials. This process is called sensory transduction. The cel ...
s that have no
dendrite
Dendrites (from Greek δένδρον ''déndron'', "tree"), also dendrons, are branched protoplasmic extensions of a nerve cell that propagate the electrochemical stimulation received from other neural cells to the cell body, or soma, of the ...
s, the branched axon serving both functions.
[ The peripheral branch extends from the cell body to organs in the periphery including skin, joints and muscles, and the central branch extends from the cell body to the ]spinal cord
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular structure made up of nervous tissue, which extends from the medulla oblongata in the brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column (backbone). The backbone encloses the central canal of the sp ...
.
In the dorsal root ganglia
The cell body of a pseudounipolar neuron is located within a dorsal root ganglion. The axon leaves the cell body (and out of the dorsal root ganglion) into the dorsal root, where it splits into two branches. The central branch goes to the dorsal column
Dorsal (from Latin ''dorsum'' ‘back’) may refer to:
* Dorsal (anatomy), an anatomical term of location referring to the back or upper side of an organism or parts of an organism
* Dorsal, positioned on top of an aircraft's fuselage
* Dorsal c ...
s of the spinal cord, where it forms synapses with other neurons. The peripheral branch travels through the distal dorsal root
The dorsal root of spinal nerve (or posterior root of spinal nerve or sensory root) is one of two "roots" which emerge from the spinal cord. It emerges directly from the spinal cord, and travels to the dorsal root ganglion. Nerve fibres with the ve ...
into the spinal nerve all the way until skin, joint, and muscle.
In most sensory ganglia of cranial nerves
Pseudounipolar neurons are found in the sensory ganglia of most cranial nerves
Cranial nerves are the nerves that emerge directly from the brain (including the brainstem), of which there are conventionally considered twelve pairs. Cranial nerves relay information between the brain and parts of the body, primarily to and f ...
.
Specifically the:
* trigeminal ganglion
A trigeminal ganglion (or Gasserian ganglion, or semilunar ganglion, or Gasser's ganglion) is the sensory ganglion at the base of each of the two trigeminal nerves (CN V), occupying a cavity ( Meckel's cave) in the dura mater, covering the trige ...
* geniculate ganglion
The geniculate ganglion (from Latin ''genu'', for "knee") is a collection of pseudounipolar sensory neurons of the facial nerve located in the facial canal of the head. It receives fibers from the facial nerve. It sends fibers that supply the la ...
* superior ganglion of the glossopharyngeal nerve
* inferior ganglion of the glossopharyngeal nerve
* superior ganglion of the vagus nerve
* inferior ganglion of the vagus nerve
Pseudounipolar neurons in cranial nerve sensory ganglia synapse in the main sensory trigeminal nucleus, spinal trigeminal nucleus
The spinal trigeminal nucleus is a nucleus in the medulla that receives information about deep/crude touch, pain, and temperature from the ipsilateral face. In addition to the trigeminal nerve (CN V), the facial (CN VII), glossopharyngeal (CN IX), ...
or solitary nucleus
In the human brainstem, the solitary nucleus, also called nucleus of the solitary tract, nucleus solitarius, and nucleus tractus solitarii, (SN or NTS) is a series of purely sensory
nuclei (clusters of nerve cell bodies) forming a vertical column ...
.
While the vestibulocochlear nerve
The vestibulocochlear nerve or auditory vestibular nerve, also known as the eighth cranial nerve, cranial nerve VIII, or simply CN VIII, is a cranial nerve that transmits sound and equilibrium (balance) information from the inner ear to the bra ...
has two ganglia associated with it (spiral ganglion
The spiral (cochlear) ganglion is a group of neuron cell bodies in the modiolus, the conical central axis of the cochlea. These bipolar neurons innervate the hair cells of the organ of Corti. They project their axons to the ventral and dorsal co ...
and vestibular ganglion
The vestibular ganglion (also called Scarpa's ganglion) is the ganglion of the vestibular nerve. It is located inside the internal auditory meatus.
The ganglion contains the cell bodies of Bipolar neuron, bipolar neurons whose peripheral process ...
), both contain bipolar neurons, not pseudounipolar.
In the mesencephalic nucleus
The mesencephalic nucleus is made up of pseudounipolar neurons which migrated into the brainstem during embryological development. It is the only location in the central nervous system
The central nervous system (CNS) is the part of the nervous system consisting primarily of the brain and spinal cord. The CNS is so named because the brain integrates the received information and coordinates and influences the activity of all p ...
where the cell bodies of pseudounipolar neurons are found.
Function
All pseudounipolar neurons are sensory neurons. The ones found in the dorsal root ganglia, and majority of those in cranial nerve sensory ganglia carry information about touch, vibration, proprioception, pain and temperature.
Pseudounipolar neurons in the geniculate ganglion, inferior ganglion of the glossopharyngeal nerve
The glossopharyngeal nerve (), also known as the ninth cranial nerve, cranial nerve IX, or simply CN IX, is a cranial nerve that exits the brainstem from the sides of the upper medulla, just anterior (closer to the nose) to the vagus nerve. ...
and inferior ganglion of the vagus nerve
The vagus nerve, also known as the tenth cranial nerve, cranial nerve X, or simply CN X, is a cranial nerve that interfaces with the parasympathetic control of the heart, lungs, and digestive tract. It comprises two nerves—the left and righ ...
also carry information about taste from taste buds.
Some of the pseudounipolar neurons in the inferior ganglion of the glossopharyngeal nerve carry information from the carotid body
The carotid body is a small cluster of chemoreceptor cells, and supporting sustentacular cells. The carotid body is located in the adventitia, in the bifurcation (fork) of the common carotid artery, which runs along both sides of the neck.
The ...
and carotid sinus.
The pseudounipolar neurons in the mesencephalic nucleus carry proprioceptive information from the muscle of mastication.
See also
*Bipolar neuron
A bipolar neuron, or bipolar cell, is a type of neuron that has two extensions (one axon and one dendrite). Many bipolar cells are specialized sensory neurons for the transmission of sense. As such, they are part of the sensory pathways for smell ...
*Multipolar neuron
A multipolar neuron is a type of neuron that possesses a single axon and many dendrites (and dendritic branches), allowing for the integration of a great deal of information from other neurons. These processes are projections from the neuron cell ...
*Unipolar neuron
A unipolar neuron is a neuron in which only one process, called a neurite, extends from the cell body. The neurite then branches to form dendritic and axonal processes. Most neurons in the central nervous systems of invertebrates, including insects ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pseudounipolar Neuron
Afferent neurons